What Smokers and Drug Users Need to Know About COVID-19?

The year 2020 has brought along several tragedies and disasters, from the sad accident of Kobe Bryant to the sudden and rapid outbreak of COVID-19. Corona Virus, scientifically known as COVID-19, is a severe pandemic that negatively impacts the lungs of the patients. It makes sense that smokers and drug users learn about this disease as much as they can.

Why Is COVID-19 More Dangerous for Smokers?

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and World Health Organization (WHO) have already updated their recommendations for people with underlying medical conditions, senior citizens and smokers, and warned them to stay well-protected as they are at a higher risk of getting infected.

Dr. Nora Volkow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, recently mentioned that “the research community should be alert to the possibility that [Covid-19] could hit some populations with substance use disorders particularly hard.”

Why? Well, this disease primarily infects the lungs and the breathing capabilities of patients. Therefore, patients who already suffer from asthma, bronchitis, or other breathing difficulties have a harder time to recover and fight this disease.

Smoker, vape users, and drug abusers also fall under this category, as these activities already negatively impact the lungs—the lung capabilities for breathing severe face consequence as a result of intense smoking and drug-abusing.

Now, for people who do not have these addictions, their lungs are more qualified and better at stopping the spread of this infection and battling it. However, if your lungs are already damaged due to years of drug abuse and smoking, COVID-19 will become a challenging situation for you. Your lungs will not be able to fight against the immense pressure from this virus and will give in quicker than the rest of the population.

Stanton Glantz, professor of medicine and director of the Center for Tobacco Research Control & Education at University of California, San Francisco recently stated in his blog post that, “When someone’s lungs are exposed to flu or other infections the adverse effects of smoking or vaping are much more serious than among people who do not smoke or vape.” Moreover, Glantz also stated that “Vaping affects your lungs at every level. It affects the immune function in your nasal cavity by affecting cilia, which pushes foreign things out.. The ability of your upper airways to clear viruses is compromised.”

The sudden emergence of COVID-19 has caused mass panic among the population and has already caused thousands of deaths within a span of two to three months. It makes sense to stay protected and stay safe.

Smoker and drug users have already caused a significant amount to damage to their lungs, and their lungs will not be able to stand the virus from COVID-19. This virus tends to weaken the lungs first, and then spread throughout the body. If the first barrier (lungs) is already damaged, the virus will quickly spread and can cause death.